


The End of Everything

by MidnightMuse234



Category: Bleach
Genre: End of the World, F/F, F/M, M/M, Tentacles, sorry not sorry for all the hell I'm about to put Ichigo through?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-06-29 02:12:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19820410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightMuse234/pseuds/MidnightMuse234
Summary: What if the Quincies won the Thousand Year Blood War? This fic follows canon plot up until Ichigo learns the truth about his mother, White, and Zangetsu - but before Ichigo can recover his Zanpakuto. Yhwach takes advantage of Ichigo's powerless state. Ichigo is forced to surrender, and one by one, the Shinigami must choose: surrender their Zanpakuto (by having their Zanpakuto separated from them like how the Quincy took their Bankai) or go into hiding. Without Shinigami, Hollows are destroyed on mass and the balance of souls breaks apart, leading the Soul Society to crash into the World of the Living, and letting Yhwach rebuild the world so that Quincies rule it and so that humans/pluses see Shinigami as the enemy. Ichigo wants desperately to fix the mess he feels at fault for.Warnings: Dubcon/Non-con - does not refer to any of the ships, but instead to a scene involving tentacles.





	1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**

> First, I just wanna say a huge, huge thank you to my amazing big bang team! My super talented artists: TheLilKnight and Owari26; and my wonderful proofreader: shadowsapex - who all had to listen to me scream and cry while I wrote this fic, lmaaoooo.
> 
> I also want to thank my fellow Lieutenants and Captains of the Bleach Big Bang, without whom this awesome event never would have happened, and I never would have met such amazing people in the Bleach community. Thank you so very much!
> 
> Happy reading!

****

**(Image above courtesy of TheLilKnight:<https://thelilknight.tumblr.com/> )**

**Ichigo "Strawberry" Kurosaki** ****  
**Age: 23** ****  
**Hair: Orange** **  
** **Eyes: Brown**

Ichigo laid back in his bed, twirling an unopened envelope in his fingers. He wasn’t going to read it since he already knew what the letter would entail. If the words “Fuck you” written on the envelope hadn’t already given away the subject of the letter, well, Ichigo’s experience over the past few years made him all the wiser on how to detect hate mail. He’d gotten multiple letters like this, each envelope filled with creative curse words meant to make him feel bad for what he had done.

He simply tossed the letter into the garbage can.

Ichigo closed his eyes. He’d go back to sleep if he hadn’t already slept most of the day away. He’d already gotten the mail and done his laundry, so he had nowhere to be and nothing to do.

“Ichigo Kurosaki! Get out here, now!”

Ichigo sighed but didn’t move. People were always looking to fight him, but most of them weren’t worth his time.

“Get out here or your sister is going to get it!”

Ichigo sat upright and looked out his window.

“Ichi-nii!”

There, standing in front of his house on the street, was a man that Ichigo didn’t recognize. Who the man was didn’t matter, however. It was the knife he was holding to Yuzu’s neck that caused Ichigo’s heart to stutter.

Ichigo slid open the window. “Stop! What are you doing?”

The man smirked. “What does it look like? She gets hurt if you don’t come out here right now! If I kill her, there’s no afterlife to send her to.”

Ichigo’s grip tightened on his windowsill. “Wait, I’ll be right there.”

“Better hurry, Shinigami scum.”

Ichigo didn’t bother to close his window as he rushed for the stairs. His hands were shaking with rage by the time he tore out the front door and stumbled into the street.

“Let her go,” Ichigo pleaded.

The man chuckled. “No. First, I want you to do something for me.”

Ichigo scowled. “What do you want?”

“Strip to your underwear and bow to me.”

Ichigo’s nails bit into his palms.

“Do it,” The man insisted. “And tell me how sorry you are for ending the world, and for crushing everyone’s hopes and dreams.”

Ichigo sighed. He reached for the bottom of his shirt.

“Don’t do it, Ichigo!” Yuzu cried.

“Shut up!” The stranger spat at Yuzu.

Ichigo’s expression darkened. His movements grew robotic as he tossed away his shirt and pants. He got down on his knees and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”

“For?” The man asked.

“For ending the world.”

**Previous Occupation: Substitute Shinigami** ****  
**Potential War Threat Status: His Bankai is broken and has been confiscated.** **  
** **Conclusion: He is no longer a threat to his Majesty.**

****

**(Image above courtesy of Owari26:<https://owari26.tumblr.com/> )**


	2. The Last Light of Hope

“Hold still, Ichigo!” Yuzu scolded.

“I’m trying to, but it stings!” Ichigo hissed as his sister applied pressure to the light wounds on Ichigo’s knees. When he’d knelt in front of the man, his knees hit the road with enough force to draw some blood.

Yuzu now had him sitting on the counter while she dabbed a cloth soaked with a disinfectant onto his knees. Ichigo kept flinching.

“Hold still!” She snapped again.

“I told you, I’m trying!”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you just stayed inside!” Yuzu huffed.

Ichigo flinched at his sister’s outburst. It was unusual for Yuzu to yell at him, but ever since she graduated from high school, she’d become bolder when it came to scolding both Ichigo and Isshin.

Ichigo sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Yuzu replied. She reached for the bandages. “You don’t have to be sorry about anything, Ichi-nii. You just need to learn to take better care of yourself.”

Ichigo frowned. “Yeah, I know… sorry.”

Yuzu huffed and folded her arms. “I said don’t apologize!”

“You’re right…” Ichigo hissed when Yuzu wrapped a bandage around his knee.

“So, how’s the patient?” A woman spoke up.

No matter how many times Ichigo saw her, he still couldn’t believe his eyes.

“He’s being a big baby, mom,” Yuzu whined.

“Am not…” Ichigo argued.

Masaki stepped up to the two of them. She smiled at Yuzu, “Why don’t you go wash up? Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Alright!”

Ichigo watched Yuzu take off. That’s when the atmosphere in the room shifted and Masaki folded her arms, giving her son a look of concern.

Ichigo couldn’t stand that look. He turned his gaze to the floor.

“What happened?” Masaki asked.

“Some guy used Yuzu to get to me. He just wanted to humiliate me, that’s all.”

“That’s all?”

Ichigo frowned. “It’s nothing new, mom. Everyone blames me for the world ending because I was a Shinigami. And they’re not wrong. I couldn’t beat Yhwach. He got the best of me…”

Masaki shook her head. “Your father and I have had this discussion with you already. You’re not to blame. Yhwach took advantage of your powerless state and forced you to surrender. Then he forced your father to surrender. Isshin would have made that choice a thousand times over to keep you safe.”

Ichigo clenched his fists. “But if I had known the truth about Zangetsu sooner, I never would have been kicked out the Soul Palace. I never would have wound up in front of Yhwach in my human body without my Zanpakuto.”

“But you’re still alive now, Ichigo.” Masaki slowly hugged her son.

“That’s the problem, mom… no one is really alive. The Soul Society merged with the World of the Living. There is no afterlife and there’s no point in going on. Once you die, you just stop existing.”

Masaki sighed and pet the back of Ichigo’s head. “Ichigo… everyone you care about - they’re all still rooting for you. Honey, you’re stronger than you think, and I know you feel the same way. You wouldn’t be sneaking off in the middle of the night to train if you didn’t think there was something you could do.”

Ichigo’s eyes widened. “How did you know about that?”

“I may not be a Quincy anymore since that man took my powers, but I’m still your mother. I know when my son is sneaking out of the house.”

Ichigo gulped.

Masaki leaned back to look Ichigo in the eyes. “I know you’re trying to appear as though you’ve lost all hope in case Yhwach is watching you, so I won’t bring this up with you again. But Ichigo, please be careful.”

Ichigo nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

She gave him a small smile. “Alright, well, dinner should be ready. Come sit with your family and fill your stomach before you sneak out again.”

* * *

Ichigo’s training usually consisted of waiting until everyone in his house was asleep before he snuck off to Urahara’s training grounds. That night, however, he turned towards Karakura River instead. He only had one goal: to get his Zanpakuto back from the Quincies who stole it from him.

Ichigo’s Fullbring was strong. Strong enough that he’d wager he could take down two Quincy soldiers without breaking a sweat. However, without Zangetsu, Ichigo wasn’t whole. And he most certainly wouldn’t have enough power to go up against the bastard that was the Quincy King.

His heart raced as he rushed alongside the river, heading towards Fort Neu Karakura. It was a large fortress built overtop of the two bridges that used to cross the Karakura River. It was in the dead centre of Karakura and loomed over all the other buildings, serving as a reminder that Quincies now ruled.

Ichigo sighed angrily. He was going to fix this.

He slowed down as he approached the fortress and he began to conceal his presence. Kisuke helped him learn to control his spiritual pressure, just as he had helped Ichigo devise a plan to get his Zanpakuto back. However, Kisuke warned Ichigo that once he restored his connection with his Zanpakuto, his spiritual pressure would be too large to conceal. Ichigo could sneak in, but he may have to fight his way out.

Ichigo approached a large drain which allowed the river to flow beneath the fortress. Thick bars made of steel were all that prevented him from slipping in. They had been constructed to allow the Karakura River to flow through, but the bars weren’t necessarily made to keep enemies out. What need was there to defend against a powerless army?

Humans posed no threat to Quincies, and neither did Shinigami. Ichigo wasn’t the only one who had his Zanpakuto taken away. Every Shinigami that survived the war had their Zanpakuto severed from their soul. It was similar to how they removed a Shinigami’s Bankai, only it was much more painful. Ichigo heard rumours that some Shinigami avoided losing their Zanpakuto by fleeing to Hueco Mundo. Kisuke believed that some of Ichigo’s friends were there too, but nothing was known for certain.

It had been seven years since Ichigo last saw Chad, Rukia, Orihime, Byakuya, Renji, or any of his high school friends. He hoped they were all doing well.

Ichigo shook his head to clear it. He needed to focus. He slipped between the bars of the drain and followed the river into the fortress. It seemed like far too easy of a task to sneak in, but his night was only just beginning.


	3. The Light Flickers

Ichigo found himself in what looked like a dining hall. It was dark and closed down for the night, but that didn’t disguise its beauty. The ceiling was made of glass which allowed moonlight to shine into the hall. Karakura River flowed down the middle of the room with two small bridges made of glass arching across the water. There were several tables on either side of the river, each complete with a white tablecloth and flowers.

Ichigo scowled. Quincies lived like royalty while the rest of Karakura starved and the citizens were forced to share houses with ten people or more. Not everyone was bothered by their living arrangements since it meant spending more time with their loved ones who miraculously came back from the dead, but the world remained broken.

Ichigo abandoned his shoes and socks under the table closest to him. They would only squeak and slow him down.

He flinched as he bumped into a trolley. He held his breath and didn’t dare move for the next minute. When he was certain no one had heard him, he crawled to the next table.

_ “Ichigo…” _

A shiver crawled up Ichigo’s spine. He hadn’t heard that voice in years, the voice of his Zanpakuto, Zangetsu. At one point, his inverted self had been his enemy and that voice had meant nothing but fear to him, but now it gave him a pure sense of relief.

The deep, echoic voice called out to him once more,  _ “Please, King… Please answer me. I’ve been waiting… I’ve been waiting for so long…” _

Ichigo frowned as guilt washed over him. Although he hadn’t had his powers, Ichigo had his family to help him get through the past few years. Zangetsu had no one. And Ichigo hadn’t exactly left his Hollow-Zanpakuto on the greatest terms all those years ago.

Ichigo lowered himself to the floor when he heard a door open. A Quincy he didn’t recognize, but a Quincy indeed, marched into the room. Hanging off his back were the shattered pieces of a Zanpakuto, but even broken, Ichigo was able to recognize his Tensa Zangetsu. He could feel Zangetsu’s power calling out to him.

_ ‘I’m here…’  _ Ichigo tried to reach the other. Zangetsu gave no reply. Ichigo sighed, he hadn’t expected to be answered anyway.

He waited until the Quincy had his back turned before he pulled out his Substitute Shinigami badge. White exploded from the badge, wrapping around his body. Ichigo lunged towards the Quincy, who barely had time to blink before he was cut down the back. Ichigo wasn’t one for surprise attacks, and he didn’t think this Quincy’s death was fair, but this was possibly his only chance and he didn’t have time to fuck it up. Ichigo grasped Zangetsu and bolted for the river.

Before he could escape the room, however, he was stopped by another Quincy.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. “Uryu, get out of my way!”

“He knows you’re here,” Uryu warned. “He knew you were coming. His Majesty is upstairs and has ordered everyone to retrieve you.”

Ichigo’s eyes widened. He nodded and rushed past Uryu, towards the way he’d come in. Ichigo used everything he had, every last ounce of Spiritual Pressure he could muster was forced into his Bringer’s Light, but he still wasn’t fast enough.

Another Quincy cut him off. Ichigo tried to escape to his right but there was another soldier. He jumped up high only to be kicked in the stomach and forced to the ground. Hands grabbed his arms and legs, pinning him helplessly on his back.

A Quincy with blonde hair stepped forth. Haschwalth. “Bring him to His Majesty. He’s been expecting him.”

Ichigo’s look shot daggers at the man speaking. Another Quincy, Bambietta, clamped a collar made of Sekkiseki stone around his neck. Ichigo could feel his strength fading, but trembling fingers still clung to the pieces of his Zanpakuto.

Bambietta reached for the broken blade.

“Don’t touch him!” Ichigo snapped. He screamed when a shock was sent through his body and his Zanpakuto was taken from him.

Ichigo could feel his consciousness pulling on him. His Fullbring was beginning to fade, his sword already returning to his Substitute Shinigami badge.

“How weak,” a green-haired Quincy muttered. She kicked Ichigo’s badge from his hand.

“Don’t hurt him too much, Candice, or else his Majesty will get upset,” Haschwalth calmly reprimanded her.

Ichigo went limp as his Fullbring faded and Candice dragged him across the floor. He hung his head as she dragged him up some stairs, around a corner and into a throne room. Candice dropped him in the middle of the room. Ichigo didn’t even have to look up to know who was in front of him, but look up he did, if only to glare at Yhwach.

The man grinned at him as if they were old friends. “So good to see you again, my son.”

“Fuck you,” Ichigo muttered, getting a kick in the stomach from Candice.

“Leave us,” Yhwach ordered before Candice could deal more damage. “Haschwalth, retrieve Ichigo’s shoes from the dining hall and take Candice with you.”

Haschwalth nodded his head. He left the room, followed swiftly by Candice and the other Quincies who had been accompanying them.

Bambietta stepped forth and handed Ichigo’s badge and Zanpakuto to Yhwach, before she bowed and left the room. Ichigo could hear Bambietta and Candice's bickering voices fade down the hallway.

Yhwach held up Ichigo’s badge and sword. “I forgot about your Substitute Shinigami badge, Ichigo. How did you manage to hide it for this long?”

Ichigo scowled and turned his head to the side.

“Ah, I see, you had your father hide it for you. That way, if I came looking, I wouldn’t find the answer in your mind. Very clever.” Yhwach hummed and dropped the badge onto a table beside his throne. “You… have been training and you formulated this entire plan by yourself?”

Ichigo mentally thanked Uryu for blocking Yhwach from seeing Urahara. Ichigo still didn’t know what power Uryu possessed since Uryu refused to explain it to him, but the only reason Ichigo was able to attempt this plan at all was because Uryu was willing to help him. He also didn’t know why Uryu still chose to serve Yhwach, but Ichigo never got a straight answer out of Uryu so he simply stopped asking.

“How very daring of you, my son. You almost pulled it off, except, how could you have possibly known that I would be in Neu Karakura this week?”

“It’s called Karakura Town!” Ichigo growled, rage alight in his eyes.

Yhwach didn’t seem to be affected by Ichigo’s outburst. In fact, he almost seemed amused. “Now, my son, let’s think for a moment about what I’ve truly done to warrant this hatred. I haven’t harmed you. I have told my army to let the Shinigami live. I reunited you with your family. I do not wish to fight you, Ichigo.”

Ichigo scowled and struggled against his binds. The more he struggled, however, the weaker and sicker he felt. Ichigo dropped to the ground, his chin hitting the pavement in a harsh enough way that he tasted blood.

Yhwach slowly shook his head. “I can’t stand to see you in such a state.” He raised his hand and his Spiritual Pressure spiked for merely a second. Ichigo found himself suddenly free of the collar. He slowly wobbled to his feet. Yhwach smiled at him and threw a piece of Tensa Zangetsu towards Ichigo.

Ichigo quickly caught it. He gave Yhwach a confused stare.

“Keep your Zanpakuto,” Yhwach said. “Consider it a token of how much I trust you. I know you aren’t foolish enough to start a war, Ichigo, and you know you don’t have the power to defeat me. Keep it anyway, make yourself whole again, and use this new strength to protect your family.”

The doors behind Ichigo slowly swung open and Yhwach made to walk past Ichigo and out. Ichigo’s knuckles turned white as his grip tightened on his Zanpakuto. The blade shook with rage in his hand.

Ichigo could attack Yhwach. He could end it in one blow.

But he let Yhwach walk past him. The doors slammed as Yhwach left the room, and Ichigo flinched. Yhwach knew every move Ichigo was going to make before he made it, and Yhwach knew that Ichigo didn’t have the power to defeat him right then and there. Ichigo sighed and stepped towards the throne. There, he found the other pieces of his long-ago broken Bankai, and he found his Substitute Shinigami badge. Ichigo pocketed his badge and picked up his sword. The sharp edges didn’t cut, for Ichigo couldn’t pour his reiatsu into his Zanpakuto.

“Your shoes and socks are in this bag.”

Ichigo flinched upon hearing Haschwalth’s voice. He turned around to see the man holding out a plastic bag. Ichigo’s limbs felt like lead as he wandered over to the Quincy. He took the plastic bag then watched as Haschwalth opened the door for him. Ichigo stepped out, then Haschwalth escorted Ichigo out of the fortress.

Not a single Quincy looked surprised to see Ichigo. He suspected that Yhwach knew he was coming long enough beforehand to warn everyone. Ichigo fought back tears. He refused to show any signs of weakness in front of his enemies, even if he had played right into Yhwach’s plans.

As soon as the doors of the fortress shut behind him, Ichigo let his frustrations loose. He kicked over a garbage can, watching it roll out onto the sidewalk. He sniffled and swallowed back a scream.

He supposed it was pointless to keep holding back his spiritual pressure, so he let it go. It swirled around him before fading into the air.


	4. Carrying On

Ichigo didn’t want to go into his house. He couldn’t face his family after the night he had. He felt like a failure, even though he had accomplished his main goal: he got Zangetsu back. However, Yhwach gave it up freely which could only mean Ichigo gaining his Zanpakuto was inconsequential to the Quincy King.

Maybe Ichigo needed to accept the facts. His sword was broken, most of his power gone, and he was just one man. What could he do against an entire army?

There it was.  _ Despair.  _ Ichigo was feeling it more and more lately. He kept pushing it behind him, but for how much longer could he hold it back?

Ichigo used a bit of his bringer’s light to hop up to his window. He slipped inside and quietly closed the window.

“Your spiritual pressure spiked.”

Ichigo gasped and spun towards the voice. He sighed when he saw his mother. She was sitting at his desk, features soft and eyes full of concern.

Ichigo gulped.

“Is everything okay?” Masaki asked.

Ichigo didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t lie to his mother, and so he slowly held out the broken shards of his Zanpakuto.

Masaki blinked. “What is that?” She stood up. “Is that your Zanpakuto?”

Ichigo nodded. “It’s my Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu… or what’s left of it.”

“Oh, Ichigo… what happened?”

Ichigo’s hands were shaking. He could hear his exhaustion coming out in his own voice. “I couldn’t stand it anymore. Being powerless, I mean. Fullbring was nice, but it wasn’t the same. Everything feels empty without Zangetsu. And I thought that if I could get him back, then I’d stand a chance at fighting. I’d start by freeing Karakura and then… I don’t know. I got him back, but it doesn’t matter! Yhwach knew I was coming and he let me have my Zanpakuto back anyway. He knew it was useless. I can’t communicate with Zangetsu… I can’t…”

Masaki hugged Ichigo as he released tear-less sobs into her shoulder. She rubbed his back.

“You’ve fought hard,” Masaki whispered. “You’ve protected us everyday. Take a break, Ichigo. Give yourself time to breathe.”

“I can’t… I have to fix this…”

“You can’t do anything in this condition.” Masaki reached for Zangetsu but Ichigo flinched away. She stopped and moved her hands to Ichigo’s shoulders instead. Masaki guided Ichigo into his bed.

Ichigo kept his Zanpakuto close as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

Ichigo woke around noon the next day. He sat up and found his Zanpakuto to be sitting next to him on the bed. He rubbed his eyes before taking his Zanpakuto and placing it carefully on a blanket in his closet. Then Ichigo dragged his feet downstairs.

“Well, someone slept in late,” Isshin commented.

Ichigo glanced at his dad who was sitting at the kitchen table. He glanced around the house and didn’t see anyone else. “Dad, aren’t you supposed to be working?”

“It’s a quiet day, for once. Yuzu said she would call me if she needed help.”

Ichigo nodded and moved into the kitchen.

“She left food in the fridge on the top shelf for you.”

“Oh.” Ichigo opened the fridge and found a blue container with a sticky note on it. The sticky note had his name and “enjoy!” on it. “So, where’s mom and Karin?”

“Karin wanted to play soccer with her friends and your mother went with her.”

“Okay.” Ichigo opened the container and couldn’t help but smile. It was a container that was split into three section: one had rice, another had soup, and the last had grilled fish. He could imagine Yuzu wrestling the extras away from Isshin, or maybe she had put some away for him before serving their family.

“Ichigo?”

He looked at his dad. “Yeah?”

Isshin sighed, his shoulders heavy. “Your mother and I have been thinking… we want to help you train in secret, help you get your strength back.”

“What?” Ichigo’s eyes widened.

“We have conditions,” Isshin added. “For example, you need to do more. Live. It’s not good for you to sit around all day. Your boss keeps calling and you should answer her.”

Ichigo’s shoulders sank. He’d been ignoring Ikumi for so long, he knew she was going to kill him the next time they saw each other face to face. It got so bad that Ichigo went as far as to avoid the part of town that she lived hoping to never bump into her.

“As a matter of fact,” Isshin smirked, “I told her that I would make you call her the moment you wake up!”

“What!?”

After fate would have it, Ichigo heard his phone ringing in his backpack. He snatched his bag before Isshin could grab it (seeing as how he’d undoubtedly gone through Ichigo’s things to answer Ichigo’s phone previously). Ichigo took out his phone and answered it, while he grabbed his breakfast and rushed up the stairs. He slammed the door on his dad’s face when his dad tried to follow him into his room.

“Ichigo!” Ikumi greeted. “It’s been so long that I thought you had changed your number!”

She sounded both sarcastic and angry, and Ichigo didn’t blame her. “So,” he replied, “why are you calling me?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I have a job for you. Several, actually.”

Ichigo stood in silence for a minute before he sighed, “Yeah, okay… I can be there in a few minutes? I gotta eat and shower...”

“Sounds great!”

Ichigo hung up his phone and placed it on his desk. He glanced around his room for something decent to wear. He settled on jeans and a black t-shirt. He showered quickly and ate as much of his breakfast as he could before jogging downstairs. He grabbed his hoodie off the couch and was about to leave when he skidded to a stop.

Ichigo went back for his backpack. He went upstairs and put his phone in his bag and then carefully placed his Zanpakuto - wrapped in a blanket - into his bag. He felt much more comfortable heading out with his backpack tucked close to him.

Before stepping out, Ichigo pulled his hoodie on and used the hood to cover his hair, hoping to catch as little attention as possible on the way to the Unagi-shop.

“Bye dad,” Ichigo said.

“Be careful,” Isshin replied.

Ichigo took an elaborate route to the shop, trying to avoid taking a direct route in case anyone was following him. He took an extra 5-10 minutes just to be safe, before he arrived. He stepped up to the door and knocked.

Ikumi pushed open the door and Ichigo jumped back to avoid it, then she grabbed him and pulled him inside.

Ikumi glanced Ichigo up and down. “So, it’s true. You haven’t changed at all.”

Ichigo blinked and then looked away.

Ikumi put a hand on his shoulder. Ichigo flinched, prepared to fight back when she pulled him into a hug. “It’s not right, what they’ve done to you out there… the things they’ve said…”

Ichigo allowed her to hug him. It felt nice, if he was being honest. “It _is_ true,” he murmured.

Ikumi held him out at arm’s length. “Now you listen to me, Ichigo Kurosaki, the rumours are absolute bullshit. Anyone who believes them are lowlifes. You shouldn’t take them to heart either, you’re a kid. You weren’t meant to shoulder the weight of the world on your own.”

Ichigo found that after she was done speaking, he couldn’t meet her eyes. He leaned forward and she pulled him into a hug again.


	5. The Job of an X-Substitute Shinigami

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy, I know, two updates in one day, but I gotta get 15k up by the end of the week! Aren't you all lucky not having to suffer my usual update schedule for once? lol!

A month passed. Ichigo barely noticed the time fly by. Working a few days a week and training with his parents at night was a huge difference from sitting around all day and sneaking out some nights. It helped him feel like he had a purpose again, but it didn’t completely erase the lingering emptiness haunting him.

Ichigo limped towards the Unagi-shop. He had a cut on his leg, and he was certain the other was already bruising. He also had a few cuts and scrapes across his body, and many sore spots that were already purple or would bruise soon.

Ichigo limped into the shop. He hoped to log the payment and then leave before Ikumi came back. His hopes were crushed when he heard the door open.

“You’re back early! What job did you complete?”

Ichigo slowly turned to face her. Ikumi’s eyes flicked between his eyes and the wound across Ichigo’s cheek.

Ikumi’s expression dropped. “You  _ didn’t… _ ”

Ichigo frowned.

“I told you to throw out dumbass requests like that. I don’t care how much people are offering, it’s not worth you getting hurt.”

Ichigo looked away and felt his eye throb. It was definitely going to swell.

Ikumi shook her head. “Ichigo, why did you take that job?”

“You needed the money… they were good on it.” Ichigo held up an envelope.

“Ichigo, stop, you can’t keep doing this. You’re only….” Ikumi frowned at her choice of words, the rest of her sentence dying on her lips.

“Only what?” Ichigo asked. There was no bite to his words.

“Human,” Ikumi sighed.

“It was just another job…” Ichigo muttered. “Just another group of angry thugs who wanted to get back at me. They punched me and kicked me a bit. I’ve had worse.”

Ikumi moved towards Ichigo, but he flinched back. She folded her arms. “You’re just a kid, Ichigo.”

“I’m 23-”

“You’re a  _ kid _ .”

Ichigo sighed. “They’re right, anyways. It was my fault… All of this is my fault-”

“It’s not,” Ikumi interrupted. “That asshole King took advantage of your powerlessness and forced you to surrender. You had no other choice.”

Ichigo tensed. “Who told you that?”

“Does it matter?” Ikumi snapped. “You couldn’t fight back. You would have died. Your father surrendered to save your life and I would have done the same for my kid.”

Ichigo’s shoulders began to shake.

Ikumi gestured over her shoulder. “Come on, I have a first aid kit. Let’s clean up those injuries and then I’ll call your father.”

Ichigo frowned. “Please don’t call him.”

Ikumi glanced back at Ichigo’s face. “Why not?”

“I don’t want him to see me like this,” Ichigo admitted. “I promise I’ll go see a doctor. I know someone at the hospital, but I can’t tell you more than that or else…”

Ikumi nodded in understanding. “Or else the Quincies will come after me. Got it.”

Ichigo frowned. “I know you want to help, but I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I could tell you the same thing. You’re not picking your jobs anymore, by the way. I’ll send your jobs to you directly. Just bring their payment back here or transfer it online my way, got it?”

Ichigo bit his bottom lip and nodded.

* * *

In the end, Ichigo decided he would rather face his dad than check himself into the hospital. There was a change that Ryuken would tell Isshin about his visit anyways. Besides, he doubted that his injuries were serious enough to warrant a visit to the hospital, and Ikumi had done enough to dress his wounds that he might not need more treatment. He could avoid his father entirely if he was lucky.

Ichigo had only been walking for about a minute when his phone rang.

“Ikumi?” Ichigo asked. “What’s up?”

“Your dad just called me. Don’t go home.”

Ichigo felt chills rush up his spine. “What?”

“He told me to tell you not to go home. And he said that someone he trusts was coming to get you. Where are you?”

“Ichigo!”

Ichigo spun around and his eyes fell on a familiar green and white striped hat. “Kisuke?”

“Yes,” he heard Ikumi on the phone. “Your dad said that was his name.”

“He found me,” Ichigo replied. “I mean, he’s here with me, Ikumi. You don’t have to worry. I’ll be fine.”

“Please, Ichigo, just be careful.”

“I will. Take care.”

“Yeah.”

Ichigo hung up his phone and placed it into his pocket. Kisuke gestured for him to follow and he quickly did so. They rushed between buildings.

“What’s going on?” Ichigo asked.

“A few Quincies surrounded your house a few minutes ago. Your dad called to tell me to come find you before I could hear someone else speaking. They said something about your mother and father breaking some rules by trying to train you, and that it was a threat to Yhwach. They’ve taken your family.”

Ichigo suddenly stopped. “What!?”

“Ichigo, you can’t go to them,” Kisuke warned.

“I have to-”

“You can’t,” Kisuke insisted, a sturdy grip now wrapped around Ichigo’s arm. “Everything will end if they get you too. You’ll die. In order for us to restore the world, you need to be alive.”

Ichigo felt frozen. He had a million questions, and about as much as he wanted answers, he also wanted to run away from Kisuke and go home to his family. He knew Kisuke was faster than him and would be able to catch him. Plus, the moment Ichigo used his Fullbring to run, Kisuke would be forced to use flash step, and that meant raising his spiritual pressure to the point that Quincies would be able to detect it.

“What do I do?” Ichigo asked.

Kisuke glanced from side to side. Ichigo followed his gaze. They were alone between two buildings, with only a few cars passing by on the streets on either side. Kisuke locked his eyes on Ichigo’s. “I’m sorry about this, Ichigo, I really am.”

“Sorry about what-?”

Kisuke raised a device to Ichigo’s face. It flashed and Ichigo collapsed against Kisuke. Kisuke frowned as he caught Ichigo’s unconscious form and carried Ichigo back to his shop.


	6. Survival Instincts

Ichigo gasped as he woke up. He noticed first that he wasn’t in his body - the black Shihakusho was a dead giveaway. He then noticed that he wasn’t in the World of the Living anymore. The black sky and grey sand could only mean one thing: he was in Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo jumped to his feet, hearing something thud on the ground. He looked down and found a bag laying in the sand. Ichigo opened it. Inside, he found the shards of his Zanpakuto as well as a note.

The note read,

> “Dear Ichigo, sorry for dropping you off in Hueco Mundo with zero notice.  
> We had to move quickly and I knew there was no way you’d leave your family behind.  
> As you can see, you're now in Hueco Mundo. It was the only way your father and I could agree on to keep you safe.  
> The least I could do was heal your wounds, and your human body will be hidden in the shop until it’s safe for you to come back.  
> Anyways, there’s a large time difference between the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo, and it’s unpredictable, but know this: in the time it takes exactly one week to pass in the World of the Living, I will come back to get you in Hueco Mundo.  
> Make your way to the heart of Las Nochas, where Aizen made his throne. I’ll meet you there.  
> Good luck and stay safe.  
>  Kisuke.”

Ichigo gulped. Was he really alone out here? Ichigo opened his mouth to shout for help, but then thought twice. If his spiritual pressure wasn’t enough already, then shouting would alert potential enemies to his presence. He crumpled the note and dropped it into the bag before closing the bag and throwing it over his shoulder. Ichigo spotted Las Nochas in the distance and began his march towards it.

The sands of Hueco Mundo were much darker than Ichigo remembered. Blood stained the grains of sand, and there were still faint echoes of lost battles in the spiritual pressure around him. There had been a massacre here, and Ichigo found himself feeling bad for the Hollows who were mass slaughtered.

Even though they had become monsters, fractions of their past selves, Hollows had still once been human. They didn’t deserve to be completely destroyed or permanently removed from the cycle of rebirth. He’d never really thought about it each time Uryu fought alongside him, that his friend’s arrows were destroying souls that would never return. Ichigo didn’t blame Uryu, though, his friend had been raised with a deep love and pride for the Quincies, and part of that pride would be stomped on if Ichigo ever dared to suggest that Uryu should give up on exterminating Hollows or became a Shinigami instead.

No, he didn’t blame Uryu, even after Uryu allied himself with Yhwach. He had faith that Uryu was up to something and didn't tell his friends. If Uryu was planning to get close to Yhwach and kill him as revenge for killing his mother, Ichigo could understand that. It didn’t mean Ichigo was happy being left in the dark, but it did mean that Ichigo could accept Uryu’s potentially false betrayal. Not to mention Uryu had been helping him for all those months… as much as Uryu could help Ichigo without letting Yhwach know.

Ichigo heard a growl and he found his feet moving faster than his thoughts. He needed to find somewhere to hide, and he was already running towards one of the many small pillars scattered in the sands around Las Noches. These pillars, as far as Ichigo could recall, led underground to secret passageways in and out of the fortress.

It was Ichigo’s best chance. His bright orange hair was too easy to spot on the grey sands of Hueco Mundo.

He kept running until he reached the pillar. He wasn’t surprised when the entrance was collapsed, likely blocked by the Quincies on purpose, or accidentally damaged in a battle. Either way, Ichigo knew the Quincies had been involved somehow.

Ichigo kicked some rubble aside. More rubble rolled down. He continued to push and throw chunks of rock and dust aside, until eventually there was an opening at the top of the pile. Holding his Zanpakuto tight, he climbed to the top where he peered into the hallway. This hallway looked like the one he’d run down with Nel all those years ago, only some lights had gone out. There was still enough light for him to see and he figured that going into this tunnel couldn’t be worse than aimlessly wandering the desert.

* * *

Ichigo sat against a wall. After what felt like a couple hours of wandering through the tunnels, he found an opening which lead back out into the desert of Hueco Mundo. This opening didn’t have a scratch, unlike the other one which had completely caved in. Ichigo decided to rest here for a bit before venturing out into the desert to see where he had wound up.

He grimaced when he realized he was sitting across from a large bloodstain on the wall.

Ichigo released a bitter chuckle. “The Quincy wiped out a lot of Hollows, huh, Zangetsu? Good thing they didn’t wipe you out too.”

He glanced at the unresponsive blade.

“Yeah, I know you’re technically not a full Hollow, and you were already broken, but still. I’m surprised the pride of the Quincy didn’t result in them completely exterminating you simply for being part Hollow. That’s the only reason they had to destroy all the Hollows in Hueco Mundo, right? Their stupid pride?”

Ichigo sighed.

“No, I know that’s wrong. They destroyed all the Hollows on purpose in order to disrupt the balance. That’s how the Soul Society came crashing into the World of the Living.”

Ichigo leaned back against the wall, slowly slouching lower and lower against it.

He could fall asleep here. He was truly… exhausted.

Ichigo’s eyes began to close when he heard something. Voices.

There were voices coming from the desert.

_ Damn it, _ he thought. Ichigo bolted upright, hugged his bag close and ran as fast as he could down the hallway.

He kept running until it was too dark to see. His legs gave out and he crashed into a wall. He panted for a bit, allowing himself to catch his breath since he couldn’t hear voices anymore.

His arms were shaking as he tried to push himself up straight, but his strength was long since gone and with it came the most unbearable pain.

His stomach growled and groaned in protest from lack of food, and his body could no longer keep up with his survival instinct. He felt so fragile… so  _ human  _ while he was trapped in Hueco Mundo surrounded by monsters.

Speaking of which, he heard the low, distinct howl of a Hollow nearby. The roar was quiet, merely a habit from the beast stalking towards him in the dark. The monsters of Hueco Mundo had long since learned to stay quiet and not draw attention to themselves lest they be completely destroyed by a Quincy.

Even though Ichigo didn’t have his Shinigami powers readily available, his Spiritual Pressure was still appealing to the few Hollows that had survived the genocide and took shelter from the Quincies underground, much like Ichigo was doing. He wasn’t comforted by the fact that he had a similar line of thinking that many Hollows did.

Ichigo heard claws clack against the floor. He pulled Zangetsu from the bag, the blade providing him comfort despite its broken state.

“You smell like a tasty meal,” the Hollow growled.

Ichigo’s stomach grumbled in response. He dropped to one knee, the hunger pains too much to bear at this point.

“Do me a favour and be sure to scream when I kill you. It’s always nice to hear screams.”

“Bastard,” Ichigo muttered.

He could almost sense the Hollow lunge, but it was far too dark for Ichigo to see. The Hollow pinned him against the wall he’d been using for support and the wind completely abandoned Ichigo’s lungs. He lost his bag, but his grip on his Zanpakuto’s hilt remained firm.

Ichigo could feel the Hollow’s breath against his neck. He envisioned its mask to be inches from himself, and along with the vision of the beast’s body and face came the vision of the monster’s teeth. Ichigo scowled.  _ He did not want those teeth on him, thank you very much. _

He felt the Hollow’s other hand move over his torso, a nail poking at his throat. Ichigo struggled to remove his body from the creature’s other hand. Like this, Ichigo’s arms were pinned to his side and unable to defend himself from the monster’s claws. He felt the Hollow draw blood and the warm liquid rolled down his neck and over his chest.

“My, my, such a quiet prey. You’re really no fun at all.”

_ I’m not prey,  _ Ichigo thought.  _ Fuck! I’m not going to die this way! _

Ichigo bent forward, sinking his teeth into the Hollow’s arm.

The Hollow flinched, his grip loosening just long enough for Ichigo to break free. He kicked against the Hollow’s hand, using the wall as leverage, and pushed until the hand fell back. Ichigo scrambled away from the Hollow in the dark.

He paused - at first, he had no idea why. He slowly licked his lips, blood staining them red. He shivered as his stomach pains returned.

_ No.  _ He couldn’t possibly be considering this, could he? It wasn’t like Ichigo could run far in the dark, and he couldn’t leave the rest of his Zanpakuto behind him.

At least, that was Ichigo’s initial reasoning, but as he spun around, heartbeat pulsing in his fingertips, and prepared himself for battle, Ichigo realized something else.

He was hungry. He was  _ starving. _

“You’re an odd prey. Are you going to run away or are you going to give up? No matter, I’ll pay you back for that stunt you just pulled. I’ll eat you slowly.”

Ichigo saw a spark. Something almost like a silhouette. He recognized it… when Ginjo blinded him all those years ago, this silhouette of Spiritual Pressure was how he saw him when it was otherwise pitch black.

Ichigo saw the Hollow lunge and he thrusted his sword forward. It missed his mask -  _ no,  _ Ichigo wasn’t aiming for the mask. He hit the Hollow’s arm. Now it would struggle to move. It took only another minute for him to hit the Hollow’s other arm. Now it couldn’t attack. He got its legs before he forced it to the ground.

“HOW DARE YOU!?” the Hollow screeched.

Ichigo wasn’t listening. God, he was so hungry, he--

It took him a minute to register the blood on his face, the food filling his mouth. He felt the satisfying motion of swallowing, his protesting stomach filling.

“What the hell!? You’re not a Hollow? What are you--!?”

Ichigo cut it off, biting into its neck. God, he was so hungry and this was such a good meal. He hadn’t eaten in so long, he didn’t know how long he’d been in Hueco Mundo and he could barely remember what it felt like to be full. And it was so good, not as good as Yuzu’s cooking, but still good.

It satisfied his hunger in every way imaginable. And only after the Hollow’s body vanished and all that remained were blood stains on the ground, did Ichigo truly realize what he had done.

He was horrified.

He felt the burn of sick at the back of his throat as though he was about to throw up what he’d just finished consuming, but his stomach wouldn’t let him. His hunger and his survival instincts betrayed his humanity and everything that he stood for.

He’d eaten a Hollow. A being that was once a human, and had who knew how many other souls within it... Did this mean Ichigo had eaten their souls as well?

Ichigo dropped to the ground, curling into himself and staring off into the darkness, completely horrified at what he’d done. He wanted to be sick. He wanted to throw up. But most of all, he wanted to go back to feeling hungry, because as he was now, he felt so incredibly  _ satisfied. _

“Stop…” Ichigo mumbled to no one in particular. “Stop it… stop it… _you don’t have time to sit still_ …”

Ichigo blinked. He wasn’t certain where the last thought had come from, but he knew those words were the truth. He looked for his Zanpakuto’s shards, instinct and a faint pull guiding his hands towards the pieces in the dark. Once he was certain all the pieces were back in his bag, he found the wall with his right hand and used it to guide him down the hallway.


	7. Into the Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The warning applies to this chapter. If you feel uncomfortable and wish to skip this chapter, that is absolutely 100% okay! Please, always do what's most comfortable for you!

Ichigo stuck to the tunnels as much as he could, but occasionally he needed to peek out at the surface to see how close to Las Nochas he was getting.

He always kept his spiritual pressure concealed as he left the tunnel and only left the tunnel if it looked like the coast was clear. This time, he could see a large, white tent in the distance, but it appeared to be abandoned. There were no signs of movement.

Maybe it was a Quincy base that was no longer being used?

Ichigo kept his Spiritual Pressure concealed as he approached the camp. He didn't see anyone, even as he got closer, so he dared to go inside. There were weapon racks but no weapons and beds that looked like they’d been left behind in a hurry.

Ichigo found a table with what looked like a map on it and he thanked his luck. He stepped up to it and could recognize shapes like Las Nochas and a few of the tunnels.

“Hey!”

Ichigo gasped and was about to turn around when an arrow whizzed by his face.

“You have shitty aim!” Ichigo heard a different voice shout.

He wasted no time in grabbing the map and taking off towards the tunnel he’d just come out of. He ran as fast as he could, not wasting a second to look back to see if he was still being followed. He went into the tunnel and kept running until he reached the part where the hallways branched into more tunnels. He turned sharply to his left since that appeared to be the better lit hallway, and he kept running.

Ichigo could feel his chest burning. He forced his legs to go on but slowed down when he noticed a hole in the ground before him. He glanced behind him to see if he was still being followed and ducked in time to avoid an arrow.

Ichigo stumbled backwards and felt the ground beneath him start to shake. A chunk of the floor collapsed, taking him down with it. As he fell, Ichigo reached for something, anything, then found himself grasping at slime. It was an incredibly stretchy and sticky slime. It was able to hold him up, although it oozed under his sleeve and stuck halfway up his arm. Ichigo was thankful that it broke his fall.

“You couldn’t pay me to go down there,” Ichigo heard a voice echo. It must’ve been one of the Quincies.

The slime began to stretch due to Ichigo’s weight and Ichigo slowly sank down into the tunnel. As Ichigo reached the bottom of the tunnel, he spared a quick look at the map. He found the hallway he’d gone down and about halfway through the hallway, there was a large red circle and the words “Beware Spider Hollow” written next to the circle.

Ichigo glanced around at the ooze. It was glowing slightly, pulsing. It stretched across the cave before him in an intricate pattern.

Spiderwebs.

Ichigo gulped when it dawned on him that he was about to willingly enter a trap. It was either a Hollow or the Quincies, and he'd rather take his chances with the Hollow. He'd defeated quite a few of them with his broken Bankai already, how hard could this one be?

“Well, well…” a voice echoed around him as he shuffled down the cave. “Look what I've caught today: a Shinigami. Been a while since I've seen one of you around here.”

Ichigo shoved the map into his bag and exchanged it for the hilt of his Zanpakuto. Some of the ooze that had carried him down detached itself from the ceiling and coiled around his arm. Ichigo scowled when he couldn't shake the slime off. It really was sticky like a web. He huffed and continued to follow the cave. Slime or no slime, and even with a broken Zanpakuto, Ichigo could take on a simple Hollow.

The tunnel opened up into a dome-shaped cave. The only light came from the faint purple glow of the slime.

He spotted eyes across from him. Eight glowing eyes.

“Oh, do relax!” the Hollow giggled. It slowly stepped into the light, revealing eight long legs and a spider-like mask.

Ichigo gulped. He had definitely walked into a trap.

“Too late for you to escape, little prey. Now submit like a good boy.”

The ooze on his arm sent a shock through Ichigo's body. He gasped as all his muscles temporarily gave out and he collapsed onto the ground. The pain didn't last for long, and Ichigo soon found that his muscles felt tingly and numb.

“You're such a handsome prey, and it's really been too long since a Shinigami came here,” the Hollow mused. “I think I'd like to play with you a bit.”

“Screw you!” Ichigo spat. Then slime shot out from the sides of the cave and grabbed his wrists. His muscles were still recovering from the shock, so he couldn't quite struggle as his arms were lifted above his head and he was forced to stand. He heard Tensa Zangetsu drop to the ground.

"Here… allow me to make things more comfortable for you."

Ichigo glared at the Hollow as it twirled its front legs, as though manipulating the slime from afar. More of it shot out from the sides of the cave and Ichigo stuck to it like a fly caught in a spiderweb. In fact, Ichigo knew that was exactly what he was: this Hollow's dinner.

He could feel his feet leave the ground and suddenly he was suspended in the air on slime woven into a web.

Ichigo tried to pull his arms and legs free, but they still felt weak from the shock. He had no choice but to wait and recover his strength before the Hollow could devour him.

Ichigo flinched when he felt slime move over his jaw and wrap around his mouth. It wiggled against his lips, pushing inside. Before Ichigo could react, it slid to the back of his throat. Ichigo swallowed on instinct and then coughed at the strange sensation. He could feel the slime moving within him, leaving a tingly sensation as it went. He supposed that was better than it shocking him from the inside.

He shuddered as he could feel more slime wiggling on his jaw as though trying to soothe him. He then noticed that the slime in his belly and the slime touching his skin started to heat up.

“How interesting…" Ichigo snapped his attention onto the Hollow. He'd somehow almost forgotten it was there, his attention too focused on the slime and it's pulsing, soothing heat that grew stronger by the second. "I sense a lot of power deep within you, but you can’t seem to be able to call on that power…” The Hollow approached him for a better look, but to Ichigo’s relief, it didn’t seem to want to get too close to him just yet.

Ichigo's belly felt so warm now, and the slime wiggling against his jaw felt more like a gentle massage. The Hollow slipped back into the shadows, and Ichigo felt his concern begin to slip to the back of his mind. He soon found himself panting as the heat began to grow. The slime slipped into his mouth again. He felt it glide over his tongue, leaving tingles in its wake as it moved towards the back of his throat. He swallowed, feeling more warmth fill his insides and spread pinpricks of pleasure throughout his body. The process repeated a few times until Ichigo was certain his insides were full. He could feel it resting inside him, pulsing.

And then suddenly, it went dark as a warm, soft and sticky substance covered Ichigo’s eyes and his head was wrapped in warmth. Ichigo gasped, the sensation almost pleasurable. He felt completely full and surrounded by heat.

“I’m going to enjoy devouring you.”

The Hollow's voice snapped Ichigo to his senses. He shook free of what had been covering his eyes and struggled until he got one arm free. He moved to free his other arm, but the web was faster and snatched his wrist. He was pushed back into the web, and he felt more slime cover his back to reinforce how stuck Ichigo was to the web. He glanced around and noticed that the web had gotten thicker, with more stands for him to stick to.

The slime on the web began to massage Ichigo's lower back, shoulders, and neck. Ichigo struggled to remain focused on the Hollow when all he really wanted was to the let the soothing sensations lull him to sleep.

“My, my… aren’t you such a spirited prey? I thought I had you under my speel completely for a moment.”

“Fuck you!” Ichigo growled, but to his surprise, his voice sounded deeper, almost like a groan.

"Oh, no matter. We're only just getting started. And the stronger you are, the more fun I'll have." The Hollow returned to manipulating the slime.

Ichigo wiggled as he felt something sticky slid up his ankles and down his arms. He glanced at the slime and watched as it glowed brighter, then darker, then brighter - and it began to pulse heat at the same time. It was nice and warm when it was glowing, then it left Ichigo feeling cold and longing for the heat as it got darker.

His eyes slipped shut once more, and the slime coiled around his head. The pulsing heat made him go numb, unable to focus on anything other than the warmth. Ichigo was vaguely aware of the things wrapped around his legs as they began to move. He struggled, but between the web and the apparent strength of the tentacle-like things, Ichigo couldn’t free himself.

He felt the slime move inch by inch up his legs, bringing the heat with it. He went from struggling to break free to wiggling as the sensations grew stronger. He didn't notice as his legs were spread slightly to make room, and the sash of his pants was pulled free. A startled moan left Ichigo's lips when he felt a tentacle covered in warm slime press against the underside of his freed cock. The heat in his stomach grew more intense, and he could feel his muscles tense and blood rush to his growing erection. He couldn't help but whine as the tentacle slowly wrapped around his dick, massaging the sensitive skin. A deep groan sounded in the back of Ichigo's throat as the tentacle squeezed him.

He felt another tentacle begin to massage his sack and he trembled. Pleasure shot up his spine. He panted, his hips bucking and writhing, trying to get more friction.

He didn't notice as two more tentacles slid further down his arms. They spiraled around him and secured his position. His Shihakusho was worked loose, exposing his chest to the cold air. His eyes flickered open when he felt something rub against his nipples. The jolt of pleasure was small, but it was there nonetheless. Ichigo whined as he was teased, the tentacles rubbed against his nipples then would drift away, leaving them feeling cold for a moment, before the tentacles returned and heat sparked across Ichigo's chest.

Ichigo writhed into the touches as he was suspended in the air. The fog over his mind thickened, and he found himself lost to the sensations. The heat pulsing across his body, the pleasure flickering over his skin… but it wasn’t enough. He knew he was just being teased.

As if sensing his distress, the heat grew stronger. He felt the grip on his wrists and ankles tighten, and now he could barely move at all other than his hips. He whined freely and was rewarded with more sensations. Something coiled around his neck, it’s grip loose but touch still hot, and more tentacles entered his shihakusho, wrapping around his waist and massaging his hips.

Ichigo could tell he was hard now. All the stroking and teasing had him fully erect. His dick was stroked and squeezed, and all the heat and massage sensations around his body had him so close to release. He gasped when he was right on the edge, but the tentacle around his cock coiled ever tighter. He cried as it denied him the release he so desperately wanted.

“It’s not that easy…” the Hollow mocked him. “I want to hear your lovely voice beg.”

A moan was all that came out at first. Ichigo took in sharp, short breaths as he fought against the fog smothering his brain. He wasn’t about to give up his pride so easily. “To hell with that… I'm not begging for you!”

The Hollow chuckled.

Ichigo whined as the grip on his erection tightened painfully. And then the tentacle playing with his balls slipped further back, stroking his entrance. It lathered him with more of that tingling slimy substance.

Ichigo heard a clatter of something metallic. Something in the back of his mind told him that it was Zangetsu the Hollow had just picked up.

“Don’t touch him!” Ichigo growled. “Don’t you fucking dare touch my Zanpakuto!”

The Hollow chuckled. “It's impressive that you can make coherent sentences at this point… although I’m growing bored with you all the same... If you won’t make pretty sounds, then let’s stuff that mouth of yours.”

Ichigo clamped his mouth shut once more when he could feel something slide towards his lips. He heard the Hollow tsk, then the tentacle as his entrance began to squirm inside. His hips buckled as the tentacle massaged entrance, widening him little by little.

He felt the tentacle wrapped around his dick loosen its grip. It squeezed him again, then loosened, and then squeezed, all in time with the pulsing heat from the other tentacles. He shivered as he felt his strength leaving him again, his will to fight slowly giving in to the pleasure coursing through him.

Then, at the same time, he felt the tentacle massage the tip of his erection while the other thrust inside. His back arched as he moaned, and the tentacle by his lips pushed into his mouth. He panted through his nose as the tentacle found his tongue, teasing and playing with it while warmth flooded into his mouth. He could taste something sweet on his tongue, with a small bite of sour. The tentacle in his mouth pushed in farther until Ichigo could feel it at the back of his throat. He swallowed, feeling slime fill his insides, reigniting the fire in his gut.

Ichigo swallowed around the tentacle in his mouth and clamped around the one in his entrance. His insides felt so hot and so blissfully numb at the same time. His every nerve burned with pleasure, and he found himself thrusting into the tentacle wrapped around his member.

“That’s much better,” the Hollow teased. "I might even let you cum now."

Ichigo gasped as he slipped back into bliss. Between the tentacle massaging his prostate, the heat filling his gut, and the tentacle stroking him, he couldn't keep up anymore. He felt himself cum, relief and pleasure coursing through his body. What was becoming too hot was now a soothing warmth again. The tentacle left his mouth and he felt it trail over his chest and stop at his stomach, stroking it gently as though praising him. He trembled as the tentacle around his dick stroked his orgasm to completion, and the one in his entrance went back to massage his sack. His chest was heaving, saliva and slime dripping from his lips. And Ichigo could feel his body wanting more, his dick already growing hard again as the tentacles continued to stroke him.

Ichigo could vaguely hear Tensa Zangetsu’s chains rattling. He fought to free his eyes and keep them open, to try to regain what strength he had left.

“A Shinigami is supposed to have an unbreakable bond with their Zanpakuto, right?” Ichigo could see the Hollow’s grin in the darkness. “It's too bad that your bond seems to be broken. It must be truly devastating for you to be killed by your own Zanpakuto."

Rage consumed Ichigo. “Give me back my Zanpakuto! You can't have him! You can't have Zangetsu!”

Ichigo opened his palm and was surprised when the hilt of his broken Bankai flew into his hand. He felt strength flood his body. Red and black spiritual pressure swirled around him. It burned through the slime and tentacles surrounding him. The Hollow screeched and recoiled when its web was vaporized.

Now free of the Hollow’s trap, Ichigo raised his arm high in the air. The reiatsu around him suddenly clung to his sword. He brought his arm down and the reiatsu cut clean through the Hollow.

Ichigo felt his strength vanish and he collapsed to his knees.

Ichigo felt shame override his rage. Sobs ripped through his body and he hugged his broken Zanpakuto close. He felt so exhausted, and all the betrayal and loneliness that he’d suffered so far in Hueco Mundo caught up to him. How could Kisuke leave him here!? How could his father be alright with sending him to Hueco Mundo!? Ichigo didn’t know if he had the strength to go through with more of this torture. He just wanted to go home.

_ “What are you cryin’ about!?” _

Ichigo gasped at that voice, originating from within his mind.

_It’s been so long... this feeling... this sensation…_ _Zangetsu._

He closed his eyes, clinging to the fleeting presence of his Zanpakuto. “Don't leave me… Don't…” Ichigo panted. “Please, Zangetsu, come back… please… I need you…” He slowly picked up the hilt of his broken Bankai. His eyes flashed blue as he summoned his strength.

Ichigo chuckled, soft but bitter. “You're right, ain’cha, Zangetsu? Why am I crying? I’m still alive and the Hollow is dead...” He focused his energy on the blade. Ichigo closed his eyes, pouring any power he could into the blade and releasing a scream as he did.

He felt the blade grow heavier.

Brown eyes snapped open. The shards had reconnected themselves but in a slightly different shape. One side of his Bankai was polished and perfectly straight, the other side jagged and tinted white. Ichigo looked closer. Half of the bandages on the hilt had turned white as well, crisscrossing with the black. And the chains which hung from the end made a pattern of black, white, black, white, and so on.

Ichigo touched the blade and flinched as it cut him. He licked the wound to clean the blood, then held his sword slightly higher. It buzzed with power in his hands.

Ichigo’s eyes slowly rolled into the back of his skull and he passed out. His Bankai shifted in his hold. It thickened into a blade similar to his old Shikai, only this blade was pure black and indeed had a hilt - it was more complete than the Shikai Ichigo had first summoned against Kisuke Urahara.

Then, ever so slowly, another sword formed on Ichigo’s hip, this one small. It was still incomplete, but Ichigo had returned to his Shikai form - his Bankai finally healed enough to be able to revert.

Ichigo hugged his swords closer to him as he slept.

A figure approached him in the darkness.


	8. It's You Or Them

Ichigo sighed and rolled over in his sleep. He knew he had to wake up soon, to keep moving, but for now, he was comfortable and wanted more sleep. He wasn't sure what he had landed on, but it felt soft under his head.

“King?”

Ichigo’s eyes snapped open. No… surely he was imagining things?

“Ichigo? Are you alright?”

Brown eyes found shimmering gold. Shiro was even paler than he remembered, although he couldn’t see him very well at the bottom of the cave.

“Zan...getsu?” Ichigo slowly asked.

Shiro seemed somewhat surprised at first, but then he realized someone must’ve told Ichigo the truth. It was likely the Old Man, if not… Shiro wasn’t sure who else knew his true name.

“Are you really here?” Ichigo questioned as he sat up.

Shiro blinked. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s just…” Ichigo’s eyes seemed to fog over as he looked not quite at Shiro… almost as though he was staring through him. “It’s just, there have been too many times where you weren’t really here. I thought I heard you, saw you… but it wasn’t you.”

Shiro observed his King’s features: the bags under his eyes, his long hair, the dirt clinging to his skin...

“Ichigo? Why are we in Hueco Mundo?”

“Dad and Kisuke sent me here,” Ichigo answered. “Kisuke said it was safer in Hueco Mundo than in Karakura. Yhwach is looking for me, but… well, he’s not likely to come to Hueco Mundo to get me. The odds of me dying are high, and… I dunno? I don’t know… I keep telling myself that’s why I’m here but I just-- why would they send me here alone, Zangetsu? How could they just leave me to--”

Shiro placed a hand on each of Ichigo’s shoulders, trying to focus him. “How long have you been here?”

“Hard to keep track when the moon never moves. I don’t know.”

Shiro frowned, hunting for Ichigo’s focus. Eventually, he was able to get Ichigo to look him in the eyes. “If you had to guess?”

“A month?” Ichigo offered. “Maybe more? Maybe less?”

“How long have I been sealed away?”

Ichigo hesitated. “Six years.”

Ichigo felt Shiro’s hands tighten on his shoulders. He knew Zangetsu would be mad when he was finally freed… and he knew they had unfinished business. He needed to talk with him, to try to understand why he and the Old Man had lied to him, or rather to get Shiro’s side of the story.

But all Ichigo wanted now was sleep… and maybe to cry out his frustrations.

“I want to go home, Zangetsu… I’m tired,” Ichigo mumbled.

Shiro frowned. “You sure you should be showing weakness to me, King?”

A flash of something like fear appeared in Ichigo’s eyes, and Shiro regretted what he’d just said.

“Nevermind,” Shiro added, “It’s fine. You’re clearly exhausted. Now’s not the time for that type of conversation anyway.”

Ichigo still seemed unsure. Shiro couldn’t think of anything else to do or say other than to pull Ichigo into his lap and tuck Ichigo’s head under his chin. After a moment, Ichigo relaxed, sinking back against Shiro and enjoying his familiar presence. Just being reconnected to his Zanpakuto again made Ichigo feel safer and much stronger.

Meanwhile, Shiro’s frown deepened. Something had definitely changed in Ichigo. When his soul had finally reconnected to Ichigo’s, Shiro had visions of Ichigo’s Inner World: it was once again underwater, but this time the small buildings were in ruins.

“King, what else happened? You had to fight to survive, right? How did you fight without a Zanpakuto?”

“I still had my Zanpakuto… it was just broken, but I carried it everywhere with me. I could use the hilt and the part of the blade still attached to it. But I also… also…”

Shiro felt Ichigo’s entire body jerk, regret and disgust filling his spiritual pressure.

“Ichigo?” he pushed.

“I was starving, Zangetsu, I-I…”

Shiro could feel Ichigo shaking. “You what?”

“I had to… to eat something, so I ate  _ them _ . I don’t know why I did it, I just suddenly did it one day and I knew it was wrong… I hated it. I still hate it. I hate that I have to do it to survive. I don’t want to live like this anymore, Zangetsu, I’m--”

“Ichigo,  _ relax, _ ” Shiro said. “Hold on. Are you saying you  _ ate _ Hollows?”

Ichigo closed his eyes and nodded.

Shiro searched for the right words. As much as he didn’t concern himself with the lives of other Hollows, he knew Ichigo was torn up about this. “It was you or them,” he said after a minute.

“I should’ve… I don’t know…” Ichigo curled in on himself. “I shouldn’t have trained with mom or dad. Then the Quincies never would’ve gotten upset. My family could be dead right now for all I know, and I'm here in Hueco Mundo eating souls to survive. If I eat them, they don’t get reincarnated. I’m no better than the Quincies.”

“Ichigo, stop,” Shiro said. “You had no choice. I don’t know about the Quincies… I don’t know anything of what’s gone on while I was sealed away. I just know that you’ve always fought to protect those you care about. Whatever you did, however idiotic it probably was, it was with their goodwill in mind--”

“I  _ ate  _ Hollows! What the hell does that make me!?”

“A monster?” Shiro suggested.

Ichigo’s eyes widened.

Shiro chuckled slightly. “You and I are monsters, Ichigo. That will  _ never _ change. So, you had to give in to your instincts a little? Do you really think I give a damn what you do as long as you survive?”

Ichigo gulped. He felt tears rushing to his eyes and Shiro could see his master’s fingers shaking. Shiro slowly slid his hands down Ichigo’s arms, his cold fingers making Ichigo shiver. Then he grasped Ichigo’s hands and squeezed them tightly.

“I’m a monster, and whether you like it or not, I’m a part of you. You’re stuck with me just like I’m stuck with you.”

Ichigo’s frown deepened.

“Yer still not hearin’ me. You can’t get upset and give up just because you had to resort to eating Hollows to survive. That’s what Hollows do, and yer part Hollow. It makes sense. I’m a monster who fights to survive. Yer a human, amongst other things, and most of the time you live a human life where you have the luxury to choose to fight or not. Right now, you’re not in the human world. If you leave a Hollow alive, they’ll still fight you. They’ll fight you as long as they draw breath. You have to become a monster to survive here.”

Ichigo slowly leaned back from Shiro, turning around so that his eyes could meet the other’s.

Shiro grinned. “We’re strong, you know. We’ll make it through this and we’ll do whatever we have to. I know you don’t like it, but that’s what we are. We  _ are  _ the same as them.”

“Th-That’s not--”

“A part of us is Hollow, is it not?” Shiro asked.

Ichigo blinked.

“And you had to rely on that part of you in order to survive. It makes sense, Ichigo. I’m not going to shame you for surviving. So if that’s what you’re looking for, you’re not getting it from me.”

Ichigo’s eyes slowly softened in realization.

Shiro cackled. “What, did you think I was going to tell you to revel in the bloodshed? Did you think I was going to praise you for tearing apart Hollows and give you a pat on the back for killing?”

“I might’ve expected something like that.”

Shiro rolled his eyes. “I’m not gonna yell at you or lie to you and say that I think you’re a bad person for doing what it takes to survive. Your friends might be horrified, and the human part of you is also disgusted, and that’s just how it is. You’re going to have conflicting feelings because you’re made up of beings that will respond differently in certain situations.”

“I…” Ichigo released a deep breath, feeling some stress roll off his shoulders. “I couldn’t make sense of it all. I still don’t know what to think, but thanks for making sense of some of this for me.”

“Anytime,” Shiro replied. “I told you that you overthink things. And you may not like what you’ve done, but you’re still alive because you did it. And that means you can still get out of here, then go back to save your family.”

Ichigo frowned as he thought about what he was going to say next. He didn’t necessarily like the conclusion he drew, but it was the best chance he had at making peace with himself. “I think… I think I owe it to the Hollows I killed - or rather, the souls that made up the Hollows - I owe it to them to fix this mess, to put everything back to the way it should be.”

Shiro nodded and, now that Ichigo wasn’t shaking as much, he turned his attention to their dark surroundings. “So, mind telling me what’s going on? I really have been separated from ya for a long time.”

Ichigo followed Shiro’s vision, joining his Hollow in staring at nothing in particular. “What do you remember?”

“Well, our Bankai was broken and you took it to the Soul Palace to get it fixed. Then… I just remember feeling rage. It was completely consuming, and it filled the minds of the asauchi around ya. After you were beat ta shit, you were sent home. Next thing I knew, it went completely dark. That’s when I had been separated from you. Then I heard you calling out my name… my real name, and I woke up out here to see ya completely passed out.”

Ichigo frowned at Shiro as he processed his words. Ichigo knew that he and his Zanpakuto had a lot of making up to do, so he decided to start with the last thing he could remember. “Dad told me about Aizen’s experiment called ‘White’. How it transferred to me when I was born and merged with my Zanpakuto. That’s you, right?”

Shiro shrugged. “I don’t really recall being ‘White’. I don’t even remember being in your mother’s soul. It was like my mind could only process instinct, and it retained no memories until I merged with Zangetsu… or… White merged with…”

“You  _ are  _ Zangetsu,” Ichigo reassured. “I know that now. You’re both the Hollow and my Zanpakuto, not one or the other.”

Shiro could sense pride in Ichigo’s spiritual pressure, and he recognized the same feeling in the expression Ichigo was giving him. He never thought the day would come when Ichigo looked at him with such awe. Maybe in all the time they spent apart, Ichigo was able to accept the truth that Shiro was really Zangetsu? Shiro only felt regret that he missed growing alongside Ichigo. But as his connection continued to grow stronger with Ichigo, Shiro had a feeling that he’d regain the lost memories over time.

“Zangetsu?” Ichigo questioned the look of sorrow on Shiro’s face. “I know you and I never got along in the past, but I want to make up for it.”

“Do you really mean that, King?”

“Why do you still call me that?”

Shiro chuckled. “Don’t you remember what I told ya? One of us had gotta be the King, and the other one is gonna carry his sorry ass into battle.”

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. “That was a long time ago. Do you still feel that way?”

Shiro grinned. “A’course I do, Ichigo. If yer not a worthy master, then I’ll crush yer skull and take yer crown and I'll keep our body alive.”

Ichigo gulped. “You’re not going to try to kill me again, are you? Because I was really hoping we could be--”

“Allies?” Shiro suggested. “I’m alright with that on one condition: you get over yourself and accept the part of ya that’s made for fighting. You have great power, an’ I see that yer survival instincts are sharp. There’s no reason for you to be a loser.”

Ichigo scowled. “Hey, I beat you, didn’t I?”

“Only because you finally accepted yer instincts. Which lasted for only about five seconds before you started getting reckless and throwin’ yerself into fights that you weren’t willing to finish. You lost some of that iron resolve, but you did get it back eventually.”

Ichigo sighed and thought back on the first time he fought to eat a Hollow. “I think I finally understand what you mean. In some situations, it’s my life or theirs.”

“Only some situations?”

Ichigo nodded. “It might be weird, but… sometimes I can feel if my enemy has their heart in our battle, and if they don’t, I don’t think it’s right to kill them.”

“You’re talking about Grimmjow?” Shiro asked.

Ichigo nodded. “He’s one of them. Gin was another. If I can avoid killing someone, then I will. It’s not my place to end someone’s life unless they’re trying to end mine… and I don’t care about proving that I’m the strongest, I just want to keep my friends safe.”

Shiro smirked. “Well, I  _ do  _ care about being the strongest since tha’ means nothin’ can kill us, and regardless of your reasons for it, if we both want power than we can both agree and work together to obtain it. I won’t allow you to be weak. I won’t let what happened against Ulquiorra ever happen again. Or what happened against that Quincy King bastard.”

Ichigo looked away. “Ulquiorra…”

Shiro frowned. “I know that’s a sore subject to bring up--”

“No,” Ichigo cut him off. “It’s fine, I’ve made peace with it. I was too weak and so you stepped in to save me. I lost control to you since I tried and failed to win.”

Shiro’s grin returned a little, but not too much. “I warned you not to die if you wanted to learn how to control me.”

“Yeah, yeah…” Ichigo could feel his eyes growing heavy.

“Sleep. I’ve got yer back. Can’t let my landlord die.”

Ichigo snorted and his eyes fell shut. He passed out almost instantly against Shiro.


	9. Blue Moon

Ichigo glanced around the cave. Without the light of that web, he could barely see anything--  _ no,  _ he was better off with that Hollow dead even if it meant that its glowing webs were gone.

_ “It's better off dead too,”  _ Shiro sounded, back within Ichigo's soul.  _ “If that thing was still breathing after I found out what it had done to ya…” _

“It's in the past,” Ichigo mumbled.

_ “Don’t lie to me. Yer Inner World is still shaking from the aftermath.” _

Ichigo sighed. It was true, he was absolutely horrified at what that Hollow had done to him. He was more than happy to have killed it - if not only to fulfil his revenge but also to prevent it from hurting anyone else.

_ “Better get movin’, King.” _

Ichigo nodded. He moved towards the back of the cave, opposite to where he'd fallen in, and he knew that if he kept going he would wind up near an old entrance to Las Noches. According to the map, this was one of the tunnels that the Quincies hadn't been able to infiltrate, but they weren't interested in it anyway since they were certain there was nothing of interest down here. They were also afraid of the Hollow down here - Ichigo guessed that none of the more powerful Quincies higher-up had time to deal with the Hollow before he got there.

Now that Ichigo had a map detailing all the places he should and shouldn’t go, he was beginning to have second thoughts about travelling in the tunnels and caves. There were many spots that lower-level Quincies dared not go, for similar reasons as to why they didn’t follow Ichigo into this cave in the first place.

Ichigo sighed. The tunnels were still the easier way into Las Nochas. Regardless of why he shouldn’t have gone into the cave, he had gotten Zangetsu back and that's what mattered.

_ “Thanks, King.” _

Ichigo frowned. “You're not usually so talkative.”

_ “I've been locked up for six years.” _

“I meant…” Ichigo rolled his eyes. “I meant before that…”

_ “When I was being suppressed by you and the old man?” _

Ichigo muttered, “Nevermind. Shut up. It's been a while since then.”

_ “That it has…”  _ Shiro paused in thought for a moment.  _ “Are you sure you want me to stop talking? You'll miss my random replies to your thoughts.” _

“I'm sure,” Ichigo said.

He heard Shiro snickering.

Ichigo cautiously made his way through the darkest part of the cave, but it wasn’t long before he could see light again. The cave started heading upwards, and according to the map, it would come out somewhere in the desert near the tunnel he needed.

After everything Ichigo had gone through in the dark, he was relieved to see moonlight again.

_ How long do I have to be stuck in this desert?  _ He thought.  _ How long until someone comes back for me? _

_ “You’ve been in Hueco Mundo before. How did you get back the first time?” _

“Someone opened a Garganta for me.” Ichigo blinked. “Wait, can’t Hollows open Gargantas? Couldn’t you open one?”

There was silence for a moment. Shiro worded his reply carefully, trying not to sound like he was incapable of doing something (his pride wouldn’t allow it).  _ “Does it look like I’ve ever had the opportunity to open one?” _

Ichigo frowned. “I guess not.”

“Who the  _ fuck _ is there?”

Ichigo skidded to a stop. He recognized that voice. Moreso, he recognized the spiritual pressure that came with it and he was shocked that he hadn’t sensed it earlier.

Ichigo stopped just before entering the light.

_ “You should learn to talk inside your head when you’re talking with me, King. Don’t want yer enemies hearing ya, or allies thinkin’ that yer crazy.” _

“How do I do that?” Ichigo whispered.

“I know someone’s there…”

Ichigo rolled his eyes. Alright, he was bad at sensing spiritual pressure but not as bad as he used to be when he was only 15. He’d trained a lot since after he got his powers back during the incident with the Fullbringers… and if he was sensing things correctly, the asshole he was sensing would walk past the opening in 3… 2… 1…

Ichigo launched himself at the person he was sensing, knocking him onto his back and pinning him to the ground. He stuck a sword to the man’s throat. “What side are you on, Grimmjow?”

Light blue eyes glared up at Ichigo. “The hell are you doing here, Kurosaki?”

“Ichigo!?”

Ichigo didn’t have time to react before he was tackled - in a fashion similar to how he’d tackled Grimmjow - by a woman who had been accompanying Grimmjow. Green hair filled Ichigo’s vision.

“Nel?”

“It’s so good to see you!” Nel leaned back, currently in her adult form.

Ichigo glanced between Nel and Grimmjow. The fact that Nel was in her adult form and that Grimmjow’s eyes kept shifting from side to side told Ichigo that they were on high alert.

“How are you, Kurosaki Ichigo?”

Ichigo’s eyes widened when a third person spoke. He almost didn’t believe his eyes when they fell onto Harribel. He barely recognized her, considering he’d only really seen her in passing before, and he was surprised at how well her presence was concealed. He couldn’t sense a bit of spiritual pressure from her.

Nel noticed the bags under Ichigo’s eyes. “You look like you’ve seen better days.”

Ichigo scratched the back of his head, instinctually laughing off his exhaustion. “You could say that.” Although, now that he had Shiro back, he’d slept well and felt stronger than he had in a long time.

“How long have you been in Hueco Mundo?” Grimmjow asked. If Ichigo didn’t know better, he’d say that Grimmjow sounded offended... perhaps offended that Ichigo hadn't come and found him sooner.

“I’m not really sure…” Ichigo admitted. “I would’ve searched for you if I knew you were here…”

Harribel flinched slightly. “Patrols are headed this way.”

Ichigo noticed her eyes shift in his direction, but not quite looking at him. He reached out his senses behind him, around the cave that he’d just walked out of, and if he concentrated then he could pick up four… or maybe five people headed this way.

Harribel pointed to the cave. “What’s down there?”

“Darkness,” Ichigo replied. “The cave comes out into a tunnel, but that tunnel leads to more Quincies.”

Nel reached into a small bag she had sitting on her hip. She took out a map. Ichigo glanced at it, and it seemed to be similar to the one he’d swiped from that Quincy camp earlier.

“I don’t think this cave leads to the tunnel we’re looking for…” Nel said after a minute.

“We need to decide quickly before the patrol gets here,” Harribel insisted. “Take our chances in this cave or make a run for it?”

“What are you looking for?” Ichigo asked.

“A tunnel to get into Las Noches,” Grimmjow answered.

Ichigo wanted to laugh in relief. “Why do you want to go there?”

Nel grinned. “Aww, Ichigo, you’re going to love the answer to that question.”

Ichigo raised an orange brow in question.

Nel’s smile widened. “There are survivors out here, Ichigo. A lot of them.”

“Shh,” Harribel scolded. “We can’t be sure that no one’s listening.”

Ichigo could feel the excitement bubbling in his chest. “We have to get there. Please, take me with you.”

Harribel nodded. “Then it’s decided. We’re going to make a run for it in that direction.” She pointed to the left of the cave. “That’s the direction we were heading before you found us, Ichigo. And if we’re reading the map right, then it’s that direction in which we’ll find the stairs that will bring us directly inside Las Noches.”

“We wouldn’t be lost if it wasn’t for someone…” Nel muttered.

Grimmjow narrowed his eyes at Nel. “Hey, we wouldn’t have found Ichigo if it weren’t for me either.”

“Guess I owe you thanks-” Ichigo started, but Harribel placed a hand on his chest and a hand on Grimmjow’s.

Ichigo blinked. Harribel nodded at Grimmjow and Nel, and they looked hesitant to leave but took off in the direction Harribel had previously mentioned.

This left Harribel and Ichigo alone, and Ichigo suddenly felt like he was in deep trouble.

“Your powers feel unstable,” Harribel commented.

Ichigo frowned. “They’re not exactly what they used to be.”

_ “Hey.” _

Harribel glanced between Ichigo’s eyes, trying to read his expression. “Your powers weren’t stable back then either. When Ulquiorra first reported to Aizen about you, he shared what he saw, and he saw your powers fluctuate from inconsequential to a serious threat to Aizen. Clearly, you were able to defeat Aizen. In order to win this war, you’ll have to recover that power again.”

_ “We’re not using the Final Getsuga Tenshou, King, so don’t even think about it…” _

Ichigo nodded at Harribel. “I understand. We should get moving.”

Harribel didn’t waste time nodding. She simply slipped into a sonido and Ichigo followed her. It took him a moment to realize that he was instinctually using flash step.

“Shiro,” Ichigo sighed, “we might have to use that technique.”

_ “No,”  _ was the almost inhuman growl that came as a response.

“I’m just saying…”

_ “You’d throw us away again? I have the memories of your time spent powerless, and despite the lies you fed yourself, you were miserable without power, Ichigo.” _

Ichigo flinched when his real name was used. “What should we do, then?”

_ “First, we’re gonna fix our Bankai. Then…” _

Ichigo waited a moment before he pressed, “Then?”

_ “Then I’m gonna show you how to really use your Hollow powers, and you’re going to have to trust me or else it’s not gonna work. Understand?” _

Ichigo shivered slightly. “Do I have a choice?”

He could almost see the other grinning.  _ “Nah.” _


	10. Relief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I know this was supposed to be updated all at once back in July, but life got super busy for me. So, sorry for the wait!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :)

It turned out that they weren’t too far from the tunnel they (Nel, Grimmjow, and Harribel) were looking for. When Ichigo asked why it was difficult for them to find the tunnel if they’d used it before, Harribel explained that they tried to use different tunnels in and out of their secret hideaway each time they had to go out somewhere.

“There are five tunnels in total,” Nel added. “Six, actually, but that one was destroyed.”

“How come the Quincies haven’t found you yet?” Ichigo asked.

“They did, but only once,” Harribel answered.

“That’s why the sixth tunnel collapsed… we had to cave it in on the Quincies following us,” Nel explained. “I still feel bad for them.”

“I don’t,” Grimmjow spat. “Bastards are trying to wipe out every Hollow in existence. It’s them or us.”

“I dunno,” Nel mumbled. “I mean, sure, there are some Quincies that deserve to be wiped out permanently.”

_ “I agree,”  _ Shiro spoke up.

Ichigo ignored him.

“But what about the ones that are just trying to survive like us? That want to avoid battle if they can?”

Ichigo thought about Uryu. “I hope there are more Quincies like that, Nel.”

“Here…” Harribel skidded to a stop.

All Ichigo saw in front of him was a dead end. He blinked.

Harribel stepped up to the wall and placed her hand on it. The wall glowed yellow and wobbled like it was made of water.

“Pass through it quickly,” Harribel ordered.

Nel and Grimmjow were already moving, and Ichigo quickly joined them. Ichigo gasped once he was on the other side. It still looked like a dark tunnel, but there was a sudden burst of reiatsu that filled the air. Ichigo closed his eyes and extended his senses.

“Chad… Orihime, Rukia… and Renji too…”

Nel nodded. “They’ve all been hiding here.”

Ichigo felt tears sting his eyes, and a smile spread across his face. He couldn't hold back the relief he felt.

“Aizen created a special room that sealed off all the spiritual pressure inside from leaking out. This way he could conduct experiments or keep people hidden as he pleased,” Harribel explained. “With some changes, it’s become a place where Shinigami and Hollows take refuge. We’ve been training almost nonstop, waiting for a chance to strike back.”

“This is amazing,” Ichigo gasped.

“Follow me, Ichigo, and I’ll take you to see your friends!” Nel said.

Ichigo moved to follow her when Harribel blocked their path. “Ichigo, I want you to meet with me after you see your friends. We have a lot to discuss.”

“Alright,” Ichigo nodded.

Harribel vanished. Ichigo turned to Nel, who turned to Grimmjow.

“Are you gonna join us, Grimmy?”

Ichigo grinned to himself at the nickname, and how embarrassed Grimmjow suddenly looked.

“And watch as Ichigo gets all caught up with his friends? Please, spare me the boredom.”

Grimmjow flashed away.

Nel chuckled. “He’s only an ass when I tease him, promise.”

“I’m sure he is,” Ichigo replied.

Nel waved for him to follow her. “Alright, I know you’re excited to see everyone. They’ve probably already sensed your presence. Let’s go!”

Ichigo felt his smile widen further. Nel took the lead, but Ichigo remained hot on her heels. He could feel the excitement building in his chest. He couldn’t wait to see everyone! He honestly didn’t know if they were still alive after everything that happened. Last time he saw Rukia and Renji, Rukia was still recovering with Byakuya, and Renji managed to conquer the asauchi and had moved on without him. He had no idea what happened to any of them after he was sent back to the world of the living. After a few years, Ichigo assumed the worst. He hadn’t seen Chad or Orihime around Karakura either, and no one knew where Tatsuki was. The information Ichigo got from Uryu wasn’t very helpful either: most of the Captains were rumoured to have fled to Hueco Mundo.

Ichigo supposed that this is where they were hiding if they were in Hueco Mundo at all.

“Ichigo?”

Ichigo’s heart skipped a beat when he heard one of his oldest friend's voices. He turned, slowly, and gazed down a hallway that looked like a prison only with the bars removed. Standing just at the edge of one of the cells was Chad.

Ichigo’s body moved before he could process it. He found himself throwing his arms around his dear friend, hugging Chad like if he didn’t hold on tight enough, Chad would disappear.

“It’s really you…” Chad mumbled. He returned Ichigo’s hug, though his movements were slower than Ichigo’s due to his shock. “It’s been so long, Ichigo… we all thought that maybe…”

“I was dead?” Ichigo filled in the blanks. “I thought you all died too.”

“Ichigo!?” Orihime gasped.

Ichigo looked a little past Chad. He saw Orihime, hair pulled into a tight bun on the back of her head. There was something different about her, something Ichigo couldn’t place… she carried herself with confidence and strength, something Ichigo saw deep within her long ago but it had finally breached the surface. Chad was different too, sturdier almost. Ichigo realized that his friends seemed much stronger than he’d last seen them.

When Orihime joined the hug, she started bawling. “Oh, Ichigo! I’m so happy that you’re alright! When… When we got the reports about Karakura town… I… we… we thought for sure that they killed you.”

“The reports?” Ichigo asked. The three of them stepped out of the hug but didn’t wander out of arm’s length from each other.

Orihime nodded. “The only information we can get about the world of the living is from Quincy camps. A team will sneak inside and listen for information or try to find official reports. We heard about their plans to build a fortress in Karakura… did they really go through with it?”

Ichigo didn’t know just how much information he wanted to tell Orihime. He decided that she would find out the truth eventually, and even though he wanted to protect her from it, it’d be better if she heard the truth from him. She deserved the truth. “Karakura, for the most part, stayed the same. The Quincies built a massive fortress in the middle of the Karakura river. Most people still come and go to work or school, most businesses still sell food. The people haven’t changed too much…” Ichigo frowned and rubbed his arm. He recalled the last beating he got. “Well, I mean, there’s still bullies and thugs. They…”

Orihime grabbed his hand. “What is it, Ichigo?”

Ichigo could feel himself shaking. He couldn’t hold back anymore, all his anguish slipped out, “I’ve become the town’s punching bag. The Quincies made sure that humans had someone to blame for the world ending, someone to channel their hate towards. That someone was me, I guess." He laughed. Bitter. Broken. "So yeah, I get more than my usual beatings. Or rather I did before I was sent here. I kinda miss Karakura, actually. I could handle scared and angry people. Usually they go after Karin and Yuzu if I don't cooperate with them, so I let them do whatever they want with me until they’re satisfied. They get tired of me really quickly and leave me alone. They’re not like Hollows… but I guess if I never came here, I never would’ve reconnected with Zangetsu. So it’s not all bad.”

Orihime and Chad exchanged glances.

Ichigo knew he’d upset them with his words, but as bitter and angry as he knew he sounded, he didn’t actually feel that way. Did he feel like Kisuke and his dad abandoned him? A little bit. Was he bitter towards the people who hurt him in the world of the living? Sort of. He was angrier that they’d tried to hurt his sisters, but the Quincies were a bigger threat.

Ichigo didn’t know if he should be feeling more than he was at that moment. He wanted to feel angry, or sad, or anything. But he felt nothing. Even the joy of seeing his friends was beginning to fade. He felt cold… empty… Hollow.

Ichigo felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Rukia. He felt a smile appear on his face, but not the emotion that was supposed to come with it. He hugged Rukia, unable to find words.

“It’s good to see you,” she said.

“It’s good to see you too,” Ichigo replied.

“Other than the hair, you don’t look that much older,” Rukia commented.

Ichigo leaned back and played with his hair. “It used to be shorter, but it grew while I was running around Hueco Mundo.”

“How old are you now?” Rukia asked.

“23,” Ichigo replied.

“Oh wow!” Orihime gasped. “So that’s how old we’re supposed to be?”

Ichigo turned back to face Orihime. “You mean you don’t know how old you are?”

Orihime shook her head ‘no’. “We did find a way to keep track of the days in Hueco Mundo, but… well, we also found out that time has gotten really strange as Hueco Mundo slowly moves further away from the world of the living!”

“Oh?” Ichigo inquired.

“Only six years have passed for you, but it’s been more like 30 or more here,” Rukia explained.

Ichigo’s eyes widened. “What!?”

Chad nodded.

Rukia shrugged. “It doesn’t make too much of a difference. Ageing has slowed for us too, that’s why we all look pretty much the same. And some of the scientists' documents we stole from the Quincies say that it takes a few months, but our spirits will synchronize with the time in the world of the living once we travel back there. So, I guess you could say we have at least a little luck on our side.”

Ichigo sighed. “That’s good, at least, but none of that will matter if we can’t defeat Yhwach.”

The atmosphere changed almost the instant Ichigo said the Quincy King’s name.

Renji heard most of the conversation as he approached the group. He nodded at Ichigo, “We’ll kick his ass, don’t worry about that.”

Ichigo slowly brushed his hair out of his face. “I dunno…”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Renji almost snapped.

Ichigo had to admit that Renji's reaction felt somewhat nostalgic. “What I mean is, Yhwach’s been doing nothing but taunting me this entire time. He knows my every move. He’s got the Soul King’s powers and then more. How are we supposed to fight an enemy that knows we’re coming?”

Rukia flexed one of her arms. “By showing up with a bunch of strong warriors that’ll overwhelm our enemies! Even with the ability to see the future, the only thing it’ll be good for is letting him watch his armies get defeated twice!”

Ichigo smiled a little at that. It felt good to have someone else’s voice drown out his own depressed thoughts again.

_ “Hey, I offered, but you turned me down,”  _ Shiro muttered.

Ichigo chuckled. “So, who else is all here?”

“A lot of Captains made it…” Rukia answered. “Oh, they’ll probably want to meet with you, Ichigo.”

“I promised to meet with Harribel first,” Ichigo replied.

“Oh!” Orihime piped up. “Tatsuki is here too but she’s sleeping right now!”

Ichigo raised an orange brow. “Really?”

Orihime nodded. “A few years ago, we were able to sneak into the world of the living. We were actually trying to find you, Ichigo, but we sensed too many Quincies around you. We figured they knew we would try something eventually, but Harribel said that we couldn’t risk it. I saw Tatsuki and I couldn’t just leave her all alone, so I took her back to Hueco Mundo with me. I know it was kind of selfish, but… I couldn’t stand the idea of leaving her defenceless, Ichigo.”

“I would’ve done the same,” Ichigo reassured.

Orihime smiled at him before a yawn escaped her.

Rukia grinned. “Well, it’s about time we all went back to bed. Ichigo, you should meet with Harribel and then get some sleep too. We converted all the old jail cells into bedrooms. There are some spare ones at the end of this hallway. I’ll find you some blankets and a pillow and meet you back here, okay?”

Ichigo nodded. “Okay, thank you…”

“It’s not a problem.” Rukia shrugged it off. Orihime and Chad made their way back to their cells, giving Ichigo a small wave before leaving. Ichigo noticed that they stayed by the edge of their rooms, keeping their eyes on him as he followed Harribel’s presence. He didn’t want to take his eyes off his friends either, but he trusted that this place was safe and that it wouldn’t be long before he saw his friends again.

Rukia pointed to an area that looked like a training room. “The meeting hall is across here and down a hallway to the left. It’s got a big white door. You can’t miss it.”

“Thanks again,” Ichigo replied, bowing his head before walking in the direction that Rukia pointed. He took a deep breath in through his nose and let it slip out his lips. Now that silence had surrounded him again, Ichigo was beginning to feel the day’s exhaustion catching up with him. All he wanted was to sleep, but he convinced himself to stay awake if only for a few minutes longer.

Ichigo took his time crossing the training grounds. He needed a moment to let everything soak in before he was ready to face Harribel again. He had the feeling that she was going to ask him questions and pry for as much information as possible, and Ichigo wasn’t sure if he was in the right mental space to keep up with all her questions.

_ “Almost there, King.” _

“You’re so chatty,” Ichigo taunted weakly.

_ “Che, I was just tryna give ya some support.” _

“I know… I really appreciate it, thank you.”

_ “I think that’s the first time ya ever thanked me for anything.” _

Ichigo smiled to himself. He couldn’t think of a reply, but he had a feeling that Shiro knew he was amused anyway.

Ichigo approached the large door. He wasn’t sure whether he should knock or just walk in, but that’s when the door suddenly opened for him.

“Come on in,” Harribel invited him.

Ichigo gulped and stepped inside. She shut the door behind him and then walked around a long table until she reached the chair at the end and sat down. Harribel gestured towards a chair, “Take a seat. I won’t keep you here too long, but I imagine your feet must be sore by now.”

“Uh, yeah…” Ichigo hopped into the seat closest to him. “So, do the Espadas meet with the Captains?”

“We’re not really Espada anymore. Just Arrancar,” Harribel replied. “The remaining Espada from Aizen’s time don’t really care for that term.”

“Oh.” Ichigo fidgeted in his seat. “Alright.”

Harribel rested her arms on the table. “Shinigami and Hollows have united under a common enemy. There’s been some discussion about what will happen after this war, but for now, we’re mostly focused on taking down the Quincies and restoring the world to the way it was before. We’ve been training together, pushing each other to our breaking points to try to go beyond our natural limits. That’s what I want to discuss with you, Ichigo. You said earlier that your powers are not what they used to be. Everyone here has been training non-stop. Do you think you’ll be able to catch up?”

Ichigo found his fingers twitching for his Zanpakuto - he didn’t feel threatened, he simply thought that he’d feel more comfortable. “Well… I’ve always been able to grow stronger quickly when there’s been something motivating me. The Quincies have my family. Every moment I spend here is another that my family remains in danger. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make sure that they’re safe.”

Harribel nodded. “That’s a good start. Where would you say your power level is now compared to when you defeated Grimmjow?”

Ichigo glanced down at the table in thought. “When I had my final battle with Grimmjow, my Hollowfication was pretty much complete, and I had my Bankai. Since then, I’ve learnt more about my powers, and my potential has increased a lot. I haven’t used my mask in a long time, though, and my Bankai was broken. It’s not broken anymore, but it’s definitely still damaged.”

“I see. I can’t help you with your Bankai, but you’re in the world of the Hollows. Your mask and Hollow abilities will thrive here. You’ll have to speak with the Shinigami about your Bankai.”

Ichigo nodded. He’d come to a similar conclusion: that Harribel wasn’t going to be able to help with his Bankai much, if at all. But when he spoke to Mayuri all those years ago, he couldn’t fix Ichigo’s Bankai either. He was supposed to go the Soul Palace and have it fixed there, but Ichigo was fairly certain the palace had been destroyed. He’d have to ask someone else.

“So…” Ichigo spoke, “how can I improve my Hollow powers?”

Ichigo could sense Shiro was suddenly intrigued.

“I mean,” Ichigo searched for the right words. “My fight with Ulquiorra… I was able to use a Cero, and use the Hollow version of Flash Step… I wasn’t in control of myself at the time, but…”

“Your reiatsu when you used your mask was very similar to that of an Arrancar’s,” Harribel replied. “Every Hollow’s journey to becoming an Arrancar is unique. I would suggest that you meditate or otherwise seek out the part of you that’s Hollow. Connect with the atmosphere around you. You should be able to feel your instincts calling out to you. Once you can tap into them, you’ll know what the next step is in growing your Hollow powers.”

_ “I told ya so,”  _ Shiro remarked.

“Thank you,” Ichigo said aloud, trying to ignore Shiro’s cackling. “Is there anything else we need to talk about?”

Harribel’s eyes locked onto Ichigo’s, and he felt his entire body freeze. “This enemy that we’re fighting, the Quincy King. He inherited the Soul King’s powers… how strong is he?”

Ichigo’s grip tightened on the hilt of his smaller blade. “Yhwach is powerful. I haven’t been able to find a single crack in his defences. His followers are strong too, but not like him. It’ll be tough, but I’m confident that everyone here should be able to take out the army of Quincies. It’ll take everyone’s strength to defeat Yhwach, though.”

Harribel nodded. “Thank you for being honest with me and answering my questions. I’ll speak with you again another time, but this is all I need for now. Go rest, Ichigo. You’ll need it.”

She stood up and left before he had a chance to say anything more. Ichigo released another deep sigh and then dragged himself back to his feet. He made his way back to the rooms and found Rukia waiting for him at the end of the hallway.

“That pillow is bigger than you,” Ichigo teased.

“Haha,” she spat back. “Careful, or you won’t get the pillow from me at all.”

“Are you sure I wouldn’t be able to take it from you?” Ichigo continued to joke, but when he reached out to gage Rukia’s spiritual pressure, he suddenly felt his confidence fade. He was certain that Rukia was stronger than him, miles stronger. It made sense. She had a lot of time to train while he wasn’t able to do much of anything. At least he had his Fullbring, but it wasn’t the same as…

Ichigo smiled. Damn, it really felt good to have Zangetsu back, and now he had an idea on how to start gaining more of his powers back.

Rukia led Ichigo into a room. She tossed the pillows and blankets on the bed. “I trust that you can make your bed yourself?”

Ichigo nodded. “Yeah, I’ve been making my bed since I was a kid, unlike someone who likes to sleep in other people’s closets.”

Rukia grinned. “I really do miss that closet. It was warm and comfortable.”

_ Simpler times,  _ Ichigo wanted to say, but he didn’t have the heart. “It’ll be there for you when we get back.”

“Good.” Rukia lightly punched Ichigo’s arm. “Get some rest, Ichigo. You look like you could use it. I’ll see you tomorrow…”

“Yeah. See ya tomorrow, Rukia.”

“Don’t look all sad on me. Loosen up a bit, will ya?”

“I’ll try.” Ichigo watched her leave, waving to her as she left. Ichigo looked around his room. It wasn’t much, but it was a lot better than sleeping against a wall. He even discovered there were curtains where the prison bars used to be. He pulled them across and they acted as a door, closing off his room for the night.

Ichigo adjusted his bed before climbing in. His sore limbs practically cried in relief now that he had a mattress to sleep on, even if it was stiff.

Ichigo tried to imagine his inner world. The sideways skyscrapers that extended into a deep blue sky, the sun lighting up the world, Shiro’s crazy grin, and even the old man standing on a flagpole…

_ “Too bad that’s not what it looks like here,”  _ Shiro spoke up.

Ichigo sighed and tried to think back,  _ “What does it look like?” _

_ “Not quite like Karakura. Everything’s underwater and all the buildings are falling apart. There’s debris floating around.” _

Ichigo scowled.  _ “I… I thought it would look better after I met up with everyone again.” _

_ “You can fool them, but you can’t hide from me or yourself, King. There’s despair in your soul and an emptiness in your heart. If you’re not careful, it’ll consume you.” _

Ichigo felt a tremor rip through his body.  _ “Please, don’t say things like that. I can’t handle it right now.”  _ Ichigo felt another wave of regret and anxiety wash through him.  _ “I mean, it’s just that I have a lot of things to worry about, and you said not to stress about too many things… not to think too much. I’m trying not to think about more stuff. I’m trying…” _

_ “I’m sorry,”  _ Shiro said.

Ichigo flinched.

_ “I know how badly I scared you all those years ago… when I tried to take control and when I threatened to hurt you and the people you care about. I only did that because I thought you were weak. I thought that you’d get us both killed. I was wrong, Ichigo.” _

_ “What do you mean? I… I thought you wanted to be King-” _

_ “I did. But I’ve realized, Ichigo, that you are a worthy King. You’ve managed to survive in Hueco Mundo without my help, and you have strong survival instincts most of the time… I can’t just ignore the part of you that’s human while asking you not to ignore the part of you that’s Hollow.” _

This time, when Ichigo took in a deep breath, he felt somewhat lighter. Then another shiver washed through his body.  _ “Thank you… Zangetsu.” _

_ “Ya don’t gotta thank me, King…”  _ Shiro muttered, then added after a second,  _ “Although it does feel nice that you’re acknowledging my help.” _

“Hmm…” Ichigo hummed out loud. He hugged the blankets tighter.

_ “Are you cold, Ichigo?” _

Ichigo shuddered. “I… I think so? Maybe? I honestly can’t tell…”

He felt a weight beside him and opened his eyes to see Shiro sitting beside him.

Ichigo flinched away. “What are you doing?”

“I was gonna warm you up.”

“With your freezing skin!?” Ichigo hissed in a whisper.

“It was only cold because I came from yer cold-ass inner world!”

Ichigo yelped when the blankets were ripped off of him. Shiro yanked Ichigo partially onto him and then wrapped Ichigo in blankets again.

Ichigo wiggled around until his head was wedged between Shiro and the pillow, and half of his body was pressed against Shiro’s side. Ichigo huffed, “Well, this isn’t awkward or anything…”

Shiro chuckled. “It’s that or freeze.”

Ichigo rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t cold.”

“Mhm…”

A yawn interrupted Ichigo’s next protest. He felt his eyes grow heavy and they fell shut. He sighed as Shiro started to warm up. Ichigo supposed that Shiro only wanted to take care of him because, if he died, they both went down, but... Ichigo couldn’t help but feel a little touched by Shiro’s gesture. It was nice to have someone beside him, and the warmth was very soothing as well.

“Rest easy, King. I’ll watch over you as you sleep.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t sound creepy at all,” Ichigo replied with a bit of humour in his tone.

Shiro grinned and observed Ichigo as his face began to relax. He curled around Ichigo some more, if only slightly. No one was going to interrupt his King’s sleep. Ichigo desperately needed it. If anyone so much as disturbed Ichigo, there was going to be hell to pay.

Shiro’s blood still boiled as more memories of all the people who hurt Ichigo came to him. He had visions of Ichigo screaming in agony, and visions of rage burning in Ichigo that he couldn’t act upon or else his sisters would get hurt. If it were up to Shiro, all those people would die painful deaths for humiliating Ichigo. But other than rage, Shiro was beginning to feel shame as more memories came to him. Threatening Ichigo’s family was the same tactic he’d once used, and then, once Ichigo finally woke him up, he’d threatened to take the crown again. He thought that it was still the best way to keep Ichigo on his toes, but now he knew that Ichigo was plenty motivated to regain his powers without Shiro threatening to devour him, and if Shiro was being honest, he didn’t even want the crown anymore.

Something had changed in Ichigo - something had woken up. Shiro felt a little relieved that he wouldn’t have to step in and save Ichigo every other battle, Ichigo’s survival instincts were much stronger now than they were all those years ago. But that worried Shiro at the same time. Ichigo was selfless, he’d sacrifice himself for his friends in an instant, and Shiro believed that was still within his wielder… still, something was bothering Shiro. There was anger lingering in Ichigo’s spiritual pressure, so far buried that Shiro doubted Ichigo’s friends would notice. The anger kept Ichigo alive, but Shiro didn’t know what else it might make Ichigo do.

Shiro sighed and tried to let his thoughts settle down. He relaxed next to Ichigo and let his awareness of the room fade just a little. He knew they were somewhere safe, but that didn’t ease the paranoia he was feeling. Ichigo’s friends would never turn on him, and Shiro couldn’t pick up any hostile intentions in the spiritual pressure around him. Still, as his Hollow instincts mingled with his Zanpakuto instincts, he couldn’t help but feel protective.


End file.
